Problems & Promises
by CherriesAndGarlic
Summary: They kissed. They fought. They made up. They kissed again. Auslly one-shot set right after Chapters & Choices.


**A/N: This is just a little something that takes place right after Chapters & Choices. And OH MY FRIGGIN GOSH! Who else wants to MURDER Kira right now?!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Austin & Ally or any characters, brands, places etc that you recognize. Poo. Something went wrong when I wished on a shooting star the other day.**

"Yes Austin, I'll be your girlfriend!"

And that was when Ally ran.

Austin had never felt this mean. There he was, asking out one girl and then kissing another. At least now he knew who he really loved, and it sure wasn't Kira. He pushed her off of himself and ran after Ally, leaving a confused and hurt Kira behind him. But she didn't matter anymore; all that mattered now was finding his partner.

He ran clear through the restaurant, ignoring Penny and her guests, straight through the mall, ignoring tourists and fans, and right into Sonic Boom, ignoring the pain in his chest when he heard sobbing coming from the practice room. He pushed open the door very carefully.

Ally sat on the piano bench, her eyes red and puffy, the piano wet with tears. Beside her was her open songbook and a pencil with a broken tip. As she looked up, she quickly wiped her tears off her face with her sleeve.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice singed with watered-down anger. She looked like she wanted to hit him hard.

"Look, Ally, I-" he began. She shook her head and stood up. "Save it Austin," she cut him off and stomped out the room. He was sure he heard a sob as the door slammed shut.

Austin sighed and collapsed on the piano bench, burying his face in his hands. In the last half hour he had blown any chance of a relationship with Ally, their partnership, and most importantly their friendship. He had never felt this crummy before.

Next to him was something that momentarily distracted him from his worries: Ally's songbook. Ally's _open_ songbook. The page was smudged with tears and barely readable, but he made out a few sentences:

"If I thought it was impossible to have a broken heart I was wrong, because mine sure is broken. In half. How could I have ever "loved love," as I believe I put it? I found out today that love _hurts_. And not just a pain like getting a shot at the doctor's office. It's like the time I fell off my bike when I was six and broke my wrist: absolutely horrifyingly painful. That's what you get for being in love Ally."

Austin's heart broke just from reading her entry. She must think he was having the time of his life, making two girls both think he loved them. But this was just as hard for him, just as painful and crazy, as it was for Ally.

He vowed to talk things out. He was prepared to chain her to the wall to get her to listen. Although he hoped that wouldn't be necessary.

At that moment he noticed something else in Ally's songbook: a large flap on the inside cover that was bulging as if it contained something. Gingerly he opened it, handling it as if it were china.

A little piece of paper fluttered out of the book. He picked it up. It was the note he had given her with the flowers all those weeks ago: _"There's no way I can make it without you." _

There was a photo strip from the booth at Phil's Fun Town, the empty calendar he had given her months before, a ticket stub from when they went to see _Swamp Bride_. Little mementos of all their times together neatly slipped into her book with utmost care, hidden safely away. He couldn't believe she had kept all these things.

They had to talk, and now. Austin slipped out his phone and rapidly dialed her number, heart pounding.

He jumped at the loud buzz suddenly coming from the other side of the piano. Ally's cell phone. Oh, darn it.

They would have to talk tomorrow. Tomorrow right away.

* * *

It was eight in the morning when Austin was pounding on the door of Sonic Boom. Lester pulled open the door five minutes after he arrived. "Ally's in the practice room," he informed him. "And she doesn't want to talk to you."

Austin slumped up the stairs and very quietly pushed open the door of the practice room. He saw Ally, sitting with her hands in the piano keys like she was about to play.

"What do you want?" she said harshly.

"To talk to you." He sighed and wrung his hands. He had rehearsed this in front of the mirror a hundred times yesterday.

"Ally, I asked Kira to be my girlfriend before I realized I wasn't over you. And I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you." He bit his lip. "If it makes you feel any better, I told Kira that I didn't want to be her boyfriend anymore yesterday evening. And if you don't want to be more than friends, I understand. I just don't want to mess up everything we have, Ally. Because it's special."

Ally said nothing. He sighed in exasperation. "Come on, please. Talk to me."

And then she punched his arm. Hard.

"_Ow!_" he shrieked. "What was that for?"

"_If you got a broken heart, you can punch me in the arm, now that's just what you needed,_" Ally quoted. "You sang it to me. You broke my heart. Therefore I get to punch your arm," she said smugly.

Lines from _Not a Love Song.*_ He should've known she'd do something like that.

"Austin, I forgive you. But I'm not sure I can do the more-than-friends thing with you," she told him.

"Aw! But I broke up with a cute girl for you!" Austin pouted, frowning.

"Are you saying I'm not cute?"

"No, of course not. I'm just saying that there are other cute girls out there." He sighed and sat down. "Ally, it's just that I _really_, really like you and I want to be…you know…_together_. And it's your decision too, but…"

Ally sat down next to him and rubbed his shoulder, releasing knots he didn't even know he had. "I know, Austin, and I feel that way too. It's just that I don't know if you'll change your mind again like you did with Kira."

"If I promise never to ever change my mind, to never break your heart again, would you be my girlfriend?" he asked softly. He raised a hand and brushed a spiral of chocolate hair out of her face.

Ally took a deep breath and Austin could practically hear the gears whizzing in her brain. Although it was only a few seconds, waiting for her decision felt like hours to him. When she replied, he couldn't believe his ears:

"Yes Austin, I'll be your girlfriend,"she whispered. She put her arms around his neck and lowered her lips to his, kissing him as carefully as she would if his lips were glass.

As they parted Austin could only smile.

* * *

The happy couple came down the stairs of Sonic Boom holding hands, smiles etched permanently on their faces. It was a beautiful day, with the birds chirping happy love songs and the sky grinning a fat blue grin, and they were heading to the food court to celebrate. But they hadn't counted on the major obstacle in their way: a frustrated Dez and a very angry Trish.

"Austin!" she yelled across the store as she spotted him, "I can not believe what you did to Ally! Did you see her face? I wouldn't blame her if she never said another word to you! In fact I-"

Austin cast Ally a glance and held up their interlocked hands. Trish's eyes widened.

"Oh," she said. "Are you two…together?"

"Yup," Austin said. "We're going to Mini's to celebrate. My treat."

"Isn't he such a sweetheart?" Ally said dreamily.

Dez let out a low whistle. "I would _so_ not want to be you right now," he said to Trish.

She stomped on his foot.

**A/N**: **I actually think this is pretty cute. Read and review please? Check out my other story, ****_Auslly and Amateurs_****, and let me know what you think! Thanks, love you guys :) **

*** From ****_Songbooks & Secrets. _****Don't own it.**

**~Mia**


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